


A Few Days

by Asthmanian



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan, The Trials of Apollo - Rick Riordan
Genre: Ambiguous/Open Ending, Coma, Heavy Angst, Hurt No Comfort, Injury, Kinda, M/M, Missing Persons
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-30
Updated: 2019-06-30
Packaged: 2020-05-31 05:37:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 612
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19419544
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Asthmanian/pseuds/Asthmanian
Summary: Excerpt:It’s been a week,Will thinks.It’s okay,he reminds himself,Nico said in his note that this might take longer than usual. That he’d be gone for more than his normal few days.So why did this feeling of dread get worse with each day Nico was gone?





	A Few Days

**Author's Note:**

> Fic spoilers in notes at the end.
> 
> Follow me on Tumblr (tumblr.com/blog/asthmanian) or stop by and send me some prompts idk do what you want. 
> 
> Also, ignore the lack of or excessive amount of italics and weird formatting issues?? Ao3 isn't cooperating with me.

It wasn’t unusual for Nico to disappear for a few days at a time. As long as he left a note, and as long as he was back in the previously established few days. Sometimes, however, Nico is gone for longer than a few days. In which Will begins to worry, but Nico always finds a way to check in, so the worry dissipates. After all, Nico is the strongest demigod Will knows. He can handle himself. He’s proven that time and time again. 

_It’s been a week, _Will thinks.__

___It’s okay, _he reminds himself, _Nico said in his note that this might take longer than usual. That he’d be gone for more than his normal few days. ______ _

______So why did this feeling of dread get worse with each day Nico was gone?_ _ _ _ _ _

______It was nonexistent at first._ _ _ _ _ _

______Seven days ago, when Will couldn’t find Nico at breakfast, he knocked on his cabin door. When three rounds of knocking didn’t receive a reply, Will allowed himself entry into the son of Hades’ place of abode._ _ _ _ _ _

______The bed was neatly made as if no one had slept in it, and fittingly resting upon the ashen grey comforter was a familiar black envelope._ _ _ _ _ _

______Will snatched up the envelope and left, not wanting to linger a moment longer. The cabin was subfusc without Nico there. He internally decided to skip breakfast. Kayla or Austin would bring him a plate anyway, assuming he’d be in the infirmary or with Nico._ _ _ _ _ _

______Nico._ _ _ _ _ _

______Will returned to the comfort and privacy of his own residence, the Apollo cabin, and ripped into the envelope, removing the handwritten letter safely tucked inside. He already knew what it would entail. The letters were the same every time. Almost._ _ _ _ _ _

______He reread it. Again. And again. And again. Something was off. What was different? Did Nico loop his L differently when writing ‘Love, Nico’? No. Same as always. Maybe he used a different pen? Will read the note again. Slowly, this time. Then he spotted it. Those two words._ _ _ _ _ _

______Or more._ _ _ _ _ _

______A few days or more._ _ _ _ _ _

______And there it was. A drop of dread settling in Will’s stomach._ _ _ _ _ _

______Ever since then the single drop has been snowballing down a hill. Picking up speed and becoming as large and as threatening as a twenty-pound tumor. Whatever Will did, wherever he went, it followed._ _ _ _ _ _

______Nico’s “few days” have always been exactly two days. Three or four if Nico clocked in with an Iris Message stating it would be a “bit longer”._ _ _ _ _ _

______One week turned into two weeks. Two agonizing weeks. Will’s a mental wreck. Nico’s _never _been gone for this long. He _wouldn’t _stay gone for this long. Something is wrong. Something is terribly, awfully, wrong._____ _ _ _ _ _

___________He’s dead, _a voice says.__ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_____________No. _He pushes the thought away and takes a deep breath. Nico is the strongest demigod Will knows.__ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________Three weeks later and a cry of help is heard at the base of Half-Blood Hill._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________It’s Nico. Caked in blood and grime. Fresh blood still pouring from open wounds. He’s unrecognizable except for the Stygian iron blade strapped to his side. He stumbles, and collapses to the ground, unmoving._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________Nico is the strongest demigod Will knows._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________Will doesn’t leave Nico’s side. He doesn’t eat. Doesn’t sleep. He has to be here when he wakes up. Hazel, tears in her eyes, begs him to take a break. To stop, because it’s what Nico would have wanted._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________Would have._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________Kayla says it’s time to let go. That nothing’s working. There’s nothing they can do. Will refuses. Nico just needs a bit more time. A few days._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________A few days or more._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________Nico was the strongest demigod Will knew._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is meant to be confusing. So if you don't really know what's going on towards the end there, don't worry! You aren't really supposed to!! You can interpret it as you please. 
> 
> Maybe Nico falls into a coma that he can't recover from and ultimately dies. Maybe he falls into a coma and miraculously recovers. Maybe he just flat out dies and Will can't let go just yet. Maybe none of this is real and Nico never returned.
> 
> I personally wrote it with the first ending in mind.


End file.
